


Intertwined Branches

by Idreamofcheollie



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: F/M, Family Feels, Love Triangles, M/M, Magical Realism, Nature, References to Wicca, Slice of Life, Unrequited Love, Witches
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-09
Updated: 2016-10-09
Packaged: 2018-08-20 07:59:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8242087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Idreamofcheollie/pseuds/Idreamofcheollie
Summary: I originally write this on AsianFanfics under the same name and thought I'd move it here, too. Weirdly, the idea of this story came to me in the shower when Tycho's "Dye" began to play. Enjoy, homies :)





	1. "Foreword" & "Description"

Here's the Character list. There are no pictures of them because stories are meant to open your imagination. But if you're _that_ eager, you can google for images of the non-OCs.

 

Characters

  * _The Family_



**Aurae J.** (No documented last name)

Alias: Madame Mist, Purple Poodle, Mom, Air Noona

Ethnicity: Unknown

Age: 21

Physical Characteristics: tall, tan skin, naturally purple long curly hair, eyes always lined black, Teardrop birthmark on left calf

Occupation: "Fortuneteller" at Sea Beads Spiritstore/Candle maker(sells at Far Mar)

Witch Identity: Lunar/Air

**Seungcheol Choi**

Alias: S.Coups, Cheollie, PuddingCoups, Dad

Ethnicity: Korean

Age: 21

Physical Characteristics: Thick black hair, burnt fingertips, love for plaid shirts, slightly muscular build, doe eyes that can relax anyone

Occupation: employee at Trusty's Hardware Store

Witch Identity: Fire

**Jihoon Lee**

Alias: Woozi, Pinky, Fey, The Pink Death

Ethnicity: Korean

Age: 19

Physical Characteristics: naturally pink hair that turns orange when drunk, child-like features, short, lover of HUGE sweaters

Occupation: Blogger (Blog Name: Woozi's World)

Witch Identity: Air/Music

**Jeonghan Yoon**

Alias: Mom #2, Prince, Pretty Boy, Miss um...oh!, Angel/CheonSa

Ethnicity: Korean

Age: 20

Physical Characteristics: feminine at first glance yet quite masculine, flawless skin, beautiful hair

Occupation: Server at The Nicer Diner

Witch Identity: Tea/Sigil

**Mingyu Kim**

Alias: Tree, HouseWifeGyu, WolfBoy, That Weirdo, Pup

Ethnicity: Korean

Age: 19

Physical Characteristics: Tall, Wolf-like grin, expressive face, Deep Voice

Occupation: "Student"

Witch Identity: Kitchen

**Hansol Chwe**

Alias: Vernon, HanStupid, Leo, Vampire Kid, Memesol

Ethnicity: Korean/Caucasian

Age: 18

Physical Characteristics: Unruly brown hair, looks like Leonardo Dicaprio, vampire-like grin, pale skin, expressive face

Occupation: employee at Purified Summer Bookstore

Witch Identity: Solar/Crystal

**Soonyoung Kwon**

Alias: Hoshi, Kwon Spoiler, JazzHands, KwonFire, Hosh the Hamster, Seokmin's Wife

Ethnicity: Korean

Age: 19

Physical Characteristics: 10:10 eyes, lover of sporty clothes, a dancer's body, cheerful smile 75% of the time

Occupation: Pet Store Clerk at Lucky Mint Mall

Witch Identity: Storm/Animal

**Seokmin Lee**

Alias: Ball of Sunshine, Tree Hugger, DK, Happy Helper, Mr.Smiles, Donkey Kong, Soonyoung's Better half

Ethnicity: Korean

Age: 19

Physical Characteristics: Smile that won't quit, tall-ish, powerful voice, cheerful smile 120% of the time, Living Anime Character

Occupation: Helper at FarMar (The Farmer's Market)

Witch Identity: Green

**Chan Lee**

Alias: Dino, MJ, The Baby, Mature Maknae, Cutie

Ethnicity: Korean

Age: 17

Physical Characteristics: A dancer's body, short( ~~not as short as Jihoon)~~ , hair that sticks up everywhere, a smile that appears even when tired

Occupation: Student at Wolfgang Amadeus High

Witch Identity: Fire

**Junhui Wen**

Alias: Jun, Casanova, Coffee Boy, Triple Translator, Nurse

Ethnicity: Chinese

Age: 19

Physical Characteristics: The definition of handsome ~~(at least he thinks so)~~ , a smile that could sell leather boots to a cow, althetic build

Occupation:Barista at Lucky Mint Mall

Witch Identity: Hedge

**Minghao Xu**

Alias: The8, Lucky Boy, Baby Faced B-Boy, Dorm Fairy

Ethnicity: Chinese

Age: 18

Physical Characteristics: Doe Eyes, innocent ~~(yeah right!)~~  features, a dancer's body

Occupation: Student at Wolfgang Amadeus High

Witch Identity: Water/Hearth

 

  * _The Involved_



**Jisoo "Joshua" Hong**

Age: 20

Ethnicity: Korean

Occupation: Son of The Nicer Diner's owner

**Seungkwan Boo**

Age: 18

Ethnicity: Korean

Occupation: Student at Wolfgang Amadeus High/Singer at Cafe in Lucky Mint Mall/Town Gossip/Regular at Purified Summer Bookstore

**Wonwoo Jeon**

Age: 19

Ethnicity: Korean

Occupation: Wolfgang Amadeus High's outcast/occasional worker at FarMar

**Gao Lee (Yang)**

Age: 21

Ethnicity: Laotian  

Occupation: new owner of Purified Summer Bookstore/ The Family's "Auntie"

**Byunghun Lee**

Age: 22

Ethnicity: Korean

Occupation: Piano Teacher

**Amy "Ailee" Lee**

Age: unknown

Ethnicity: Korean

Occupation: unknown/speculated drifter

 

_For more Information on the "witch identities",[here's a blog post that explains it very well.](http://rainy-day-witchcraft.tumblr.com/post/124106815477/types-of-witches-updated)_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_We knew we weren't normal._ **

**_So...when we were shunned, we left without a word._ **

**_Now, we're our own family._ **

**_Nature engulfs our love like a big, protecting bear hug._ **


	2. First Chapter

"It's been years since I thought about that." A sigh escaped Aurae's lips as she sat down in front of her dresser, casually drying her hair with a random t-shirt. Such despair brought to such an innocent life. Seungcheol joined her on the sturdy bench he made with his own bare hands, taking the t-shirt out of her clutches and assisting with gentle pats to her purple tendrils. "I try not to think about it."

"Jihoon hyung, just tell me why you and Mingyu hyung don't work already! It's so unfair that everyone else knows but me", whined the youngest of the many voices coming from Aurae's bed.

The former boy mentioned, sporting a sweater that could fit five people all at once, grumbled as he moved to sit on the windowsill. He wasn't much for constant human contact.  "...There's not much to tell."

Chan huffed then turned his attention to the tallest member of the house. "Mingyu Hyung?"

He shook his head with the usual wolf-like grin seeping through his features. "No way. Jihoonie Hyung tells the story soooo much better."

"Nope. Sorry Maknae, but if you really want to know what happened, you can read my blog post about it."

A wet shirt fell on his head seconds later and this time, the oldest male of the house spoke up. "Nice try, Woozi. You deleted that post 24 hours after submitting it!"

Jihoon's face began to match the hue of his hair as he yanked the soaked fabric off. "Stop stalking my blog, Seungcheol....plus it was 22 hours.."

"Seungcheol _hyung_. Do you keep forgetting that I'm old--?"

" Oh, Jihoonie Hyung, just tell the story!...  I.... I-I promise you can use me as a ladder whenever you want!"

"I already do that whenever I please, Mingyu."

"I won't cook spicy foods for a month and I'll give you that sweater you've been eyeing in my closet for wee--"

"Okay, so the story begins 3 years ago..."

_FLASHBACK_

_"Welcome to Correct Help Drugstore!", chimed an enthusiastic Jihoon as a customer walked in. Just months ago, he managed to convince Aurae and Seungcheol, or 'Mom' and 'Dad' , that he was smart enough to get his GED. Weeks after completing the certification course, he snagged a job. He was now a front end associate, now a real adult in the world._

_He turned to the other front end associate and cracked a knowing smile. "Minggu~....You forgot to clock back in after lunch and your name badge is upside down."_ _Mingyu scrambled to fix his mistakes while Jihoon restocked diapers._

_And how did the younger's employment occur? Very simple story. He walked in with Jihoon one day and the store manager instantly fell in love with his 'million dollar smile'. "What would she do if Seokmin walked in?", Jihoon had originally thought._

_A small noise of acknowledgement was heard from an old woman waiting at the cash register and with a plastered smile, Jihoon diligently ran to comply to her request. " Hi ma'am, how are you doing tod--?"_

_"Oh! Hold on, I forgot to get cotton balls."_

_Staying true to his obligatorily well-mannered..well, mannerisms, Jihoon nodded quietly and waited patiently for her to come back. Minutes later, she returned. Before Jihoon could utter any one of his scripted phrases, she was off again to find ear swabs._

_Internally groaning, he decided to call Mingyu over to take care of the cash register instead._

_Hours later, he had to once again avoid losing his patience when a man began to yell at him over the fact that their store didn't sell alcohol. Because Jihoon obviously wasn't a teenage boy, but a middle-aged corporate manager with the power to choose the store's merchandise. That customer got lucky when the manager came to the rescue._

_Crisis averted yet again._

_The work day was almost over. Jihoon was calm once again and Mingyu was quietly sweeping the back aisles of the store. A young adult walked into the store just minutes before closing. "Welc--"_

_"Got change for 100?"_

_"I'm sorry, sir. But we don't have enough cash right now to do that for you. There's a store ac--"_

_"What kind of store doesn't have cash?! Does no one go in this store at all? I bet you're lying.. And--"_

_"ALRIGHT, THAT'S IT!... Who the hell do you think you are? Actually... Where the hell do you think you are? This isn't some 24 hour bank! We close at 9 PM and old people are our primary customers so EXCUSE ME if the amount of money in this damn register isn't to your fucking standards! Also I do not control the traffic in this store! I. AM. NOT. GOD. And if I was, DO YOU THINK I'D STOP EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD FOR YOU?!  Y--" And that was when Jihoon's world went black. The next time he came to, he was in Mingyu's strong grip and the customer was wrapped in a trauma blanket while being escorted out by a medic. The customer was in a hysterical state, repeating the same words over and over...._

"...The Pink Death."

Chan was in a state of shock while others shook their heads at the familiar story. Mingyu, on the other hand, chuckled to himself while patting the youngest on the head. "I wasn't there for most of it, but when I finally got there, it was something out of a movie. Hyung's hair got even pinker, he was on top of the counter, the doors were swung open by a HUGE gust of wind, money was flying around, and I'm pretty sure I heard other voices yell along with him. The grin on his face was so creepy. So, I tackled him to the ground. The manager looked mortified before she stumbled out to call for help."

The Pink Death shrugged. "I guess I'm not a people person."

"Mingyu Hyung, that doesn't answer why YOU aren't working."

The boy shrugged. "I got bored. Working is sooo boring without Jihoonie hyung. Also, they didn't pay that great."

"Wow.....Thanks for telling me. I was just about to apply there after school tomorrow."

A stern voice was heard from the dresser. "Dino, you are not getting a job."

"Aw, but Coups Hyung...", the youngest whined.

"...Who's Coups?"

"N-No one! Hehe, I mean, no one I know, Aurae noona. Must be one of Chan's friends." The oldest male discreetly glared at the baby of the house, Hansol and Jihoon following suit.

"O....kay..."

"Hey, where's Soonyoung hyung and Seokmin hyung?", piped Minghao for the first time all day, hugging a fluffy cushion.

Hansol tugged said cushion away and hugged the pouty teen. "Probably off in the woods, making out."

"Only on Seokminnie's birthday." Two more boys were added to the pile on Aurae's bed.

"Gross, Hyung, you're all sweaty!"

"Hehe, sorry sorry! I was playing fetch with all the puppies before I left the shop. Then My Better Half thought it would be super duper funny to tell me that he found a stray trapped in a storm drain down the street...it was a teddy bear dressed in active wear with a sign that said 'You make my heart race'."

Sheepish laughter followed the end of Soonyoung's story. "Sorry, My Love....I promise you'll forget all about it after tonight." A knowing smile was shared between Seokmin and Aurae. 

"...4..5, 6...7..8.....Where's Jun?"

Aurae tapped the side of her neck one time; something she always did when she remembered something. "Ah! Jun told me there was a college function by the diner tonight so he went to make sure Jeonghan got home safely. They should be home soon, considering the occasion."

Seokmin rolled out of Soonyoung's sweaty embrace and turned to Mingyu. "Ah, speaking of that, I got a big score of veggies from helping Ms.Cho at FarMar today. It's sitting in the kitchen."

Mingyu attempted to smoothly roll off the bed, but he somehow ended up face first on the floor, resulting in the room's laughter. Once that died down, Mingyu stood and Seokmin followed his lead. " Alright, Minghao, let's go work on dinner." The younger reluctantly got out of Hansol's embrace and headed to the kitchen with his hyungs. 

Next went Soonyoung. "I'm gonna get out of my work clothes and shower."

Seungcheol turned to Chan. "Let's get the fire going and find some incense. Noona, I'll get the candles you laid out for tonight too." 

She nodded. "The candle with rose petals and white ribbons sits on the farthest table tonight, Cheollie."

"Okay."

The opening of the front door was heard. "We're here! I brought a new blend of coffee from work!"

"And I brought some of Mrs.Spell's cake."

Jihoon was up on his feet in seconds. "I'm gonna...Bye!" And he was off.

Hansol was about to follow but a cough from the oldest in the house stopped him. "What is it, Noona?"

"Let's get the necessary materials for tonight. And get my cards from under the floorboard, please. Oh, and the box."

They both stood to leave but then Hansol spoke up. "Noona....how did you even get those things?"

A sad smile graced her face. "The only possible way I could, my dear Vernon. In the dead of night." And with that, he was off to get what they needed.

Aurae sighed for the second time that day. It was a shame that she even had to do things that way. But then again, she could've just gone to city hall for the records. But that place had things very dear to her heart and she couldn't have just left them there for another 13 years.

_Flashback_

_Who exactly were they? They were eleven 'lucky' children owned by the government._

_And how did they meet? Fate threw them into the same orphanage._

_They all had different stories but never bothered to share or was too young to remember them._

_Aurae's story was unique. The only memories of her parents she had were watching her father die before her very eyes and being taken away from her mother at the age of three because apparently she was trying to hurt her daughter. Something to do with the birthmark on her leg. Her mother was sent to the mental institution at the top of the hill and she was abandoned._

_HoneyKettle Orphanage was a big house with plenty of beds. Not many children stayed there passed two years. For the first three years, Aurae stayed close to Ms.Delilah, the caretaker. That gained her access to many things, like a popsicle from the adult fridge and being able to stay up an hour later because a show was getting good. But her favorite privilege was being able to enter the room of records. It was also the room orphans entered on their first day._

_One day, a child that was just as old as Aurae walked in. He looked tough, but his doe eyes told her that he had been crying. He wouldn't answer Ms.Delilah at all and strangely, Aurae liked that about him._

_"Okay Seungcheol. It's fine if you don't want to talk to me." mumbled the frustrated middle-aged woman. "Aurae, take him to his room. He's rooming with Jihoon."_

_"Yes ma'am."_

_The walk to the room was short yet it felt like forever. "...H-How old are--?_

_"5."_

_Stunned that she got him to speak so easily, she didn't notice when Jihoon, the quietest boy there, opened the door. "CHEOLLIE HYUNG YOU AWE HEWE TOO?! OH MY--"_

_"JIHOON! PINKY, I MISS--"_

_And like that, Aurae fainted out of shock._

_She woke up in a room that wasn't hers. "Wh--?"_

_"Auwae, you awe alive!"_

_"Of course she is, Pinky. I told you a kiss from a prince always works."_

_"K-Kiss?!" Aurae touched her tiny lips._

_A stuffed animal that was in Jihoon's hand was raised into her view. "It was Pwince Cocoa's firwst kiss too."_

_And from then on, the three became the best of friends. Over the years, their trio grew and grew and by the time Aurae was 8, there were 10 of them. They would spend nights on the porch, Aurae and Soonyoung always holding the hands of a three year old Chan, because the owls freaked him out._

_They also loved to play pretend. They used to pretend that they were warriors with magic powers that lived in a castle in the middle of the woods. Seungcheol would light a match from his secret stash and Seokmin would make crowns with random flowers he found in the field by the house. Hansol would lay in the grass while Jihoon waved his hands in the breeze as he sang to himself. Meanwhile, Junhui would chase after Jeonghan until the latter drew something on his forehead with his finger._

_One day, Ms.Delilah watched them play from the porch. The kids didn't mind. Seungcheol just kept the matches in his pocket. They were in the middle of a 'fierce' battle when suddenly, Chan grabbed a match from his own pocket. "Fire!" The match lit on its own._

_A gasp was heard from the porch and they all stared up in shock. "I knew it! All of you are filthy witches! I'm calling the cops to take you away from me right this minute!"_

_Aurae ran up the house stairs. "Please don--" She was pushed to the ground._

_Seungcheol ran over and hugged her to him. "What is your problem, lady?!"_

_An out of character scoff was heard and the woman's southern drawl was suddenly laced with venom. "You witches are all the same. A witch cursed my mama. She made her see me...her own baby..as a demon. She killed herself because of that damn witch! I will NOT let another poor innocent soul like my mama die because of some group of UNWANTED witchlings!"_

_Jihoon glared at the woman as he hugged the crying three year old. "Maybe your mama deserved it."_

_She proceeded to drag them all into the house and locked them in the basement without a word._

_Aurae had no idea how Jun did it, but they were suddenly able to walk out of the basement hours later. It was the middle of the night but they knew Ms.Delilah would wake up in an hour to do her nightly check. Jeonghan carried Chan on his back while Seungcheol had Hansol._

_They sent Soonyoung, Jihoon and Aurae to the rooms to get their things. Aurae also made a detour to the room of records. Jeonghan drew a picture on the back of Seungcheol's matchbook and gave it to her an hour before their little mission. He told her to put it in corner of the room so they could come back. She didn't understand how that would work, but she could just feel that it was the best option._

_Minutes later, they began to run out of the house together._

_"Where will we go?", asked a very curious Mingyu._

_"Misty Forest. We're not going to play pretend anymore."_

_No words were spoken but it was certain that they all agreed with Seungcheol as they trekked out into the unknown world._

_They managed to find a little shed on the edge of the woods and slept there for the night. They met a young girl named Gao the next morning and were introduced to her father._

_"Witches, huh? You're lucky that this place isn't across town. They hate witches the most there. But don't worry, you're safe here. My sister married a witch. I'll call him to come over later this week, but for now, let's make that shed more cozy for you kids. Call me Mr.Yang."_

_The months and years after went by fast and things progressed. True to his word, Mr.Yang did call the man over, and a coven of 20 witches joined him. They helped the kids build a house that was a bit deeper in the woods. Over time, vines of roses grew all over the big cottage, gaining the name Rosie._

_Many of the witches offered to adopt the young witchlings, but the children sternly refused. They were their own family. So the men and women taught them how to utilize their skills instead._

_A young woman helped Jeonghan draw sigils on trees all around the house. "It means 'Outsiders see nothing but fog'."_

_An older male helped Seokmin pick a spot to garden. "This area gets both excellent sunlight AND moonlight. Plant plenty of sage for protection."_

_"I will plant Sunflowers too because they remind me of Soonyoung."_

_Soonyoung stood to his feet meters away and put the baby squirrel he was talking to down. "Stop being sappy, Seokminnie!....That's my job."_

_Somewhere along the line, Minghao was added to their group. Jun would dream about him suffering at HoneyKettle and after two weeks, a few of the older kids went over to see if he was right. When they entered his room, the child instantly latched onto Junhui as if he knew him._

_"The hero in my dreams is real!"_

_"SHHH! We're going to get you out of here. You are now apart of our family. What do you say?"_

_The child in Jun's arms looked at Aurae with pure gratitude in his eyes. "I truly am Lucky."_

_The boys ran off into the night and Aurae waited until they were out of view before she walked into the room of records again. She pulled a vial of cursed chili powder from her pocket and sprinkled it in every drawer. "If that awful woman hurts any of these innocent children again, let her feel a pain ten times worse."_

_She then began to search for their old files and belongings, only managing to take the younger children's files and recording everyone's social security number(something the oldest witch in Gao's uncle's coven told her to do) before hearing footsteps. She froze, staring at the moon from the window. 'Please save me, Lady of the Moon.'_

_The footsteps paused and she heard the screams of a little boy. "AAH! A spider! Get it off!"_

_With a roll of the eyes, Aurae was out of that window in no time and on her way home again._

_They lived happily ever since._

Aurae tied her shoes once she found all the materials she needed. She was extremely happy that Jeonghan's sigil worked every single time she entered the orphanage. Last night, she was able to get the last of their things from the room of records. It was unbelievable that they were still there. Today marked the exact day thirteen years ago that they escaped. For Minghao, it was exactly eleven.

So, tonight, they were going to burn those records. 

Dinner time was bright and chaotic as usual, many conversations going on at once. They sat outside on a big picnic table that Seungcheol and Mingyu built many summers ago. 

Jeonghan grabbed the container of cake and a huge thermos of coffee while Minghao and Chan held water bottles. "Everyone finish with dinner? Good. Let's get this Full moon party started!"

"To the Bonfire!", bellowed Seokmin.

"Did someone say...KwonFire?"

Glass bottles were filled with sage and water as the young adults sat around the fire, the ashes of their last connection to HoneyKettle flying around in the air.

Chan and Seungcheol lit all of the candles surrounding them.

Hansol laid out all of his crystals, inserting the smallest piece of rose quartz he had into one of the glass bottles. "For Love". he whispered to himself.

Jeonghan drew different sigils onto each bottle with glass paint markers; symbols ranging from elements to hopes and wishes from each member of the family.

Jihoon laid his laptop next to Hansol's crystals. "That mercury retrograde last month was a pain in the ass. My social media needs moon blessing too."

Minghao held his bottle tightly, hoping that some of his energy could infuse with the water. 'I'll be with them everywhere they go.'

Aurae tapped Junhui's shoulder, chuckling softly. "He knows you're watching him. Come. The moon is strong tonight so this reading should go smoothly." They found a flat surface and she began to shuffle her deck of playing cards.

Tarot was cool and all, but Aurae preferred the simplicity of cartomancy. 

She laid down her first card, the six of clubs. "The prophet. Your intuition is correct. He is exactly who you think he is."

Jun shook his legs nervously once his thought actually became a fact. Aurae's readings were never wrong.

Down came the next card. "Jack of Hearts. The lover. A good-natured close friend."

She didn't stop there. " Four of Hearts. The Protector. An indicator of feeling protected and secure in love."

"Ace of Diamonds, The Ally. An important message regarding a union."

"Two of Clubs. The Talker. Communication and care is needed to avoid something going wrong."

"Three of Hearts...indecision in love....Three of Spades..The card of Tears...troubling news." Her hand shook as she laid the last card down.

Jun shamefully looked down and was about to say something when Mingyu suddenly shouted. "OH MY GOD IT'S TIME!"

The tall puppy grabbed Soonyoung and led him to the middle of the group.

Soft music began to play and everyone's heads turned to the source, Jihoon's guitar playing a tender song as Seokmin appeared next to him, wearing a white suit.

"Kwon Soonyoung..I have to ask you something very important."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sigils: Symbols that are made by witches. A whole sentence or word could be turned into a sigil. Energy charges the sigil so that it comes true/holds more meaning.
> 
> Cartomancy: It's like reading tarot cards, but it's done with regular playing cards. It's older than tarot too and this author enjoys practicing~
> 
> Rose Quartz: a pink quartz stone, it symbolizes love.
> 
> Mercury Retrograde: Mercury rotates backwards and ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE with communication and technology. I lost 2,000 photos during the first one this year and lost all the bookmarks on my phone during the last one last month.
> 
> Cursed Chili Powder: some witches use chili oil for negative spells, to keep people away, and "hex", but I used powder because oil would ruin all the papers in the drawers.


	3. Second Chapter

Jihoon's fingers strummed a song comprised of tender care and pure love, his soft hums wrapping around the melody like a lover's embrace.

Soonyoung looked at his surroundings. Their family full moon gatherings were never that special, just a fire and typical things like making lunar water. But tonight looked different. The trees were wrapped in tiny white lights, they were surrounded by candles, there were pots of white and dark blue moon flowers, Aurae held a huge white candle that carried the familiar scent of roses with a huge smile on her face, and everyone decided to dress nicely. Including his boyfriend, dressed elegantly in a white suit. It was as if the moon was everywhere around them. A small grin washed over his confused expression. "Are you going to sing your question? Because I don't know if my body's prepared for that", he joked.

"No, but I'll save that for later." The charming smile on Seokmin's face never left as he walked over and held his boyfriend's hand in his own, the family members around them silent. "For 14 years, you've been the reason behind my signature smile. For 14 years, it has been my mission to keep that incredibly heart-warming smile on your face no matter what. For 14 years, you've been my alarm clock; just the sheer thought of being able to look into your loving eyes has me rushing to wake up. For 14 years, you've been the number one thing on my mind. For 14 years...from strangers to best friends to boyfriends, you and I have been inseparable and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. The first time you held my hand, I almost passed out from forgetting to breathe. The first time we kissed, I sang love songs to my plants for months. You bring out my inner-dork, hyung. I would be your dork for all of eternity if you'd let me. So, I must ask..." He pulled out a tiny box and got down on one knee, not caring about any stains. "Soonyoung Kwon, will you marry me?" The box was opened to reveal a sterling silver Celtic knot band.

Soonyoung was absolutely speechless. The smile on his face was so wide, he feared that his face would rip. "A-Are you--...I-I... Yes, Of course!"  He could not control the giddiness he felt as the ring was slipped on his finger, pulling his fiancé up to his feet and sharing a sweet kiss as everyone cheered around them. 

"It's about time, hyungs!" cried out the youngest.

The couple could do nothing but giggle like little schoolgirls as they looked into each other's eyes and stayed in each other's warm embrace.

"Alright, my two favorite dorks, there is something I have to give you...Dad, come help me. It's heavy."

"Yes, Mom." Seungcheol helped Aurae carry the very large candle over to them. 

The other members of the family snickered at the names, though already used to it. Chan called them that when they enrolled him in elementary school  many years ago and ever since, it stuck.

"Seokmin planned tonight a month ago, so I had enough time to make this. This candle represents your love, from the dried rose petals to the two silver wedding bells hanging from white ribbons. This candle will last a year if you burn it for an hour a day. You will light it on the big day and when it reaches your one year anniversary, you will find a surprise hanging on the wick. We are all so happy for you two and love you very much."

Seungcheol playfully punched Soonyoung's shoulder, who was wiping happy tears, with his free hand. "I always knew you two were meant for each other. And that you'd get married first."

Jeonghan lazily sat on a log, eating a slice of cake. "This is why I love our full moon parties. Everyone leaves happy." 

The soft music stopped abruptly and all eyes turned to Jihoon. "Hyung, that was the last piece of the delicious cake... How could you?"

"Oh hush, you don't even like sweets that much."

"That cake is the only exception!"

The only female in the small crowd chuckled. "Alright you two, let's not fight. This is a moon of celebration and accomplishment. It's getting late anyway so we should probably clean up and move our things to the table next to Rosie."

Mingyu ruffled Chan's hair. "Yeah, and don't you have a test tomorr--?"

"SHHHH!"

Seungcheol smirked knowingly. "Go study."

The teen grumbled as he began to walk back home.

"And don't use your laptop! I know you just watch Michael Jackson videos on it!"

"AW MAN!"

Jun turned to Minghao. "Do you have any assignments to be working on?"

The boy shook his head. "Nope. My main teacher is a free-spirit who doesn't believe in homework or projects. Sometimes I think she's a witch too."

Laughter spreads within their forest as they began to pick up their things. Mingyu and Seungcheol worked together to put out the fire while Jihoon blew out all the candles, the wind assisting him. Soonyoung was about to climb one of the glowing trees when Jeonghan stopped him. "You and Seokmin go home and cuddle. We can handle it, lovebirds." The two shared a smile before the younger called over his fiancéand walked back to Rosie. When the couple was far enough, Jeonghan sat back down on his log. "Jun and Minghao, climb the trees and pull off the lights!" The two complied without a word.

Seungcheol laughed, pouring another bucket of water over the fire wood. "Hey, Cinderella. If you're just going to sit there, go home. You have to wake up earlier than all of us anyway."

Jeonghan slowly rose to his feet and stretched. "Thank you, Prince Charming. My carriage was about to turn into a pumpkin any minute now." And without another word, he disappeared into the forest.

Hansol and Aurae collected the laid out items and placed them into a basket, minus Jihoon's laptop, which was taken back to their place by its owner moments ago. "Hey noona, you've been kinda quieter than usual today. Are you okay?"

The older girl nodded, trying to forget the outcome of her card reading. "I'm fine....just...thinking about how crazy these 13 years have been. I'm grateful that we all grew up well and that we managed to have a house. And we managed to do paperwork without any question. We didn't let cultures die within this slight melting pot we call a family. Jobs were easy to come by and we always had food on the table no matter what."

Hansol grinned and hugged the woman he considered to be his favorite sibling. "I'm proud of us too."

Once everyone was finished, the remaining six walked back together, loud and comical as usual.

Mingyu had everyone hanging on his every word as he told a ghost story. "And then, the door opened.... _crrrrrring_...and it revealed the scariest looking lady ever. She had a huge knife sticking out of her head and blood oozing out of her eyes, with an eerily beautiful voice singing--"

" _Tragedy strikes lovers..as the full moon hovers..._ "

Everyone froze as the singing voice came from nowhere. Suddenly, the figure of a woman in a traditional Korean hanbok was seen, moving towards them very slowly.

"..Holy shit..." muttered the storyteller as he moved to hide behind his slightly shorter noona.

" _Death surrounds us all...Flower petals begin to fall..._ "

Seungcheol shook in his spot while Aurae tried to hide behind him. "I may be older, but that doesn't mean I want to die first, Cheollie!"

Hansol and Jun tightly held onto a calm Minghao, who just watched the 'ghost' with super observant eyes. 

" _Blood sheds over children....The season is at its end.......ohhhhh~...and Mingyu is an idiot who can't tell turnip greens from kale..Thus ends this tale.._ "

Aurae and Minghao were the first to laugh, finally realizing who the beautiful falsetto voice belonged to.

Right at that moment, Soonyoung and Chan came running over with flashlights. "GOTCHA!"

Jihoon came into view with his phone, recording the moment as he snickered. "You should've seen your faces. Perfect for my blog."

"Wha..?"

Seungcheol regained his composure, a threatening glint in his eye as he slowly moved over to Jihoon, a creepy smile on his face. "...Come here, Pinky..."

"U-Uh.... no?" The boy mentioned inched back just as slowly before running off, the elder chasing after him.

Minghao took the knife headband off Jeonghan's, or the ghost's, head and placed it on his own. "That was the best one so far. Seokmin hyung's voice was so bone-chilling. I cannot wait for Halloween!"

The ghost chuckled. "Just don't let this year be a repeat of what you did last year. That hitchhiking couple had to drink some pretty strong tea to forget everything and Hansol still checks under his bed."

"I do not!..ahem, ...I-I..I hide my.. dirty magazine... stash... there?"

A smug grin graced Jeonghan's face. "You couldn't even believe that yourself."

Jun turned to still cowering Mingyu. "So, you were in on the prank too? You looked really scared though."

Seokmin slid down the tree he was sitting in. "I don't think he was involved. ...Wait... then how did Jihoon hyung know he would tell that story?"

A very drenched Jihoon rejoined the group, his dress shirt clinging to him like fur clinging onto a wet puppy, as Seungcheol following behind with a triumphant look and Jihoon's cell phone in the air. "The world's worst liar involved in a great prank like this? Of course not. He told me that story this morning and I knew he would tell it again so I organized this when I went back to Rosie."

Aurae raised a brow. "Why are you wet?"

"He pushed me into the creek after he got my phone."

"That's what you get~"

The pink-haired boy donned an eerily sweet smile as he turned the other male. "..Let me give you a hug...Cheollie _hyung_..."

"No, get away from me...No!" And the chase began again, this time reversed.

Aurae laughed, already so used to their antics. "Okay, let's get inside kids. It's late and Jeonghan has a shift at the diner at 6am."

"I'll be fine, Air noona."

She scoffed. "You faint when you don't sleep over 5 hours."

Taking that as a cue, Jun swooped the ghost up into his arms and began his trek home. "Time for bed, hyung."

When they reached their cottage, the young ones helped the eldest lay out their bottles, crystals, and whatnot.

Soonyoung smiled softly as he looked at their home. "Wah, Rosie, you're always the prettiest on full moons."

His fiancénodded in agreement, wrapping an arm around him. "That reminds me. I need to prune her vines and flowers tomorrow."

His other half leaned into him, hugging his waist. "We should get to sleep then."

"Even _you_ know that's not what we're going to do."

Aurae covered Chan's ears, who covered Hansol's ears, who covered Minghao's ears. "Really?"

Soonyoung flushed while Seokmin waved her off. "Lighten up, Noona. They're old enough. Just a week ago, I walked in on those three watching some cheesy porn with a blonde nurse bimbo."

The three accused ran into the house before Aurae could react. "Ah, whatever. Everyone go inside and get to bed. I'll be there in a second."

Once everyone was inside, she looked over the table of things absorbing the moon's energy, then pulled out both a lavender and rose incense. Lighting them, she watched as the smoke came to life, drifting into the night sky. She closed her eyes while the wind began to pick up, surrounding her as the energy of the cool breeze cleansed her soul. "Lady Luna and Mother of the Wind, I call upon thee. I give you my undying gratitude. I ask that you protect the boys over time. They have grown so well....  Also, as I get older.. I was wondering if you could, I don't know, point a love interest/soulmate my way too? Or give me a hint!...Like their voice in the wind or something." She bit her lip in anticipation.

"Are you a gust of wind? Because you just blew my mind."

"Is there a high concentration of CO2 around here? No wait, it's just you, making my world hot as hell."

"Wha--?" Her eyes flew open as she turned to the source of the voices, finding a laughing Jihoon with a now equally soaked Seungcheol. "Not cool!"

The older male wrung his damp plaid tie. "Sorry, we couldn't resist."

She shook her head, a grin slipping through her annoyed expression. "What am I going to do with you two?...Alright take off your shoes and socks. I'll be back with towels."

She entered the house and found Jun staring right at her as she walked past the kitchen. Sending him a smile that most likely didn't meet her eyes, she opened the closet next to their bathroom and pulled out the fluffiest towels they had before going back outside.

The two young adults were huddled up together for warmth, sitting at the table. She threw the first towel to Seungcheol and put another one around Jihoon's shoulders. "Once you get dry enough that you don't drip, head straight to the bathroom and take a nice warm shower." She started to dry his pink hair with yet another towel as he wrung out his clothes. "You ruined such nice clothes with that creek water. Guess you'll have to wear something else to the SoonSeok wedding."

He patted the girl's hand. "Sorry Purple Poodle Noona. I'll go search the thrift stores later this week."

She smiled softly as she ruffled his partially dry hair. "No need, Jihoonie. We'll look together. I need a proper dress."

He returned the smile. "Sounds lik--.."

"Dry me too pwease."

Both stopped and stared at Seungcheol. "...Ew."

Once they were done, Aurae went off to her room and the other two shared an awkward shower. 

"I swear she likes you better. Should I just dye my hair pink?"

"..."

"I mean it. I'll do it, man. Don't even try to stop me."

"....."

"Oh, you're right. I'd never be able to pull that off. I'm already so sexy as a brunette. She loves it. _I know it_...Thanks, Jihoon." He hugged the equally naked male in front of him.

"Eep."

In a bedroom two doors down, another man was quite uneasy as he held a sleeping Minghao in his arms. They shared a bed since the day Jun saved him from HoneyKettle. There was no actual label for their relationship to another, but Jun was sure he wanted to protect the boy with all his might for the rest of his life. And judging how the younger stuck to him like glue most of the time, he had no doubts about if Minghao felt the same. He gently ran his thumb over the sleeping teen's soft cheek. He wouldn't know what to do if he ever lost him...or anyone in their family. An inaudible sigh left Jun's lips as he thought about the look on Aurae's face earlier. " _She must hate me now",_ he thought. Her shaking hands were telling the whole story.

"Junhui, you're stiff. What's wrong?" A ruffling of the sheets was heard.

The older teen loosened his grip around Minghao, snuggling into his neck. "Don't worry, it's nothing." He placed a chaste kiss to his jawline. "Go back to sleep. You have dance class first thing in the morning."

A low hum was heard and light snores soon followed, Jun following suit minutes later.

Hours into the night, a loud cry of pain was heard from one of the bedrooms.

Hansol got out of bed and opened the window to let the moonlight shine on their youngest sibling, already expecting everyone to be in the room by the time he turned back. "I left the Blue Lace Agate and Moonstone out in the moon, I'll go get them." 

Jeonghan ran to the kitchen while Soonyoung went to find the box of materials they made for nights as such.

The other seven studied Chan, his eyes open and a bold shade of orange, though still asleep. His tan skin now a sickening grey and veins a fiery red. Another pained cry erupted within him, smoke rising from his mouth as he began to writhe in anguish. Every tear that escaped his eyes sizzled upon touching his skin.

Fire began to creep from his fingertips, surprising everyone as they heard a blood-cuddling scream soon after.

"Mingyu, help me hold him down!", besought Seungcheol as he ran over to the young boy. "Hurry up, Soonyoung!"

Mingyu bit his lip as he ran to the other side, using a pillow to hold Chan down, so he wouldn't burn himself. "..this isn't good..the fire is new. He's gotten stronger. What do we do?", he mumbled in a panicked state.

The teen forementioned ran in and handed the box to his fiancé, who pulled out a container of salve that consisted of a blend of cooling and calming herbs; lavender, sage, and aloe vera being the principal plants.

"Soonie, get me the jar of fresh aloe and foil."

Soonyoung ran off to the kitchen without a word just as Hansol returned, passing Aurae a bottle of their last harvested moon water and Minghao the storm water Soonyoung cultivated.

Seokmin then passed the box to Jun, who pulled out a few roll of bandages and a bottle of Mingyu's Sweet Dreams Tincture made from mugwort, rosemary, chamomile, mint, and star anise. He almost dropped the box when another wail of despair was heard.

Minghao practically threw the bottle of storm water on the dresser next to him, fuming. "Put him in the damn tub! He fucking needs water! HE'S BURNING UP!"

Hansol comforted the angry teen with a pat on the back before walking over to the suffering boy. Ripping the charred remains of the t-shirt Chan had on, he placed the Moonstone directly over his heart and the Blue Lace Agate crystal on his forehead. "This will be over soon, Chan. You'll be smiling again soon. I know it."

The writhing stopped, Mingyu and Seungcheol letting go. The tall boy blew on his own blistering hands while the unaffected eldest male held Chan's flaming hand as he sat on the floor. "You'll make it out of this one, Chan Lee. You're a fighter. Fire is your domain.... DAMMIT SOONYOUNG, HURRY THE FUCK UP!"

Soonyoung returned, his hands fumbling with the objects in his hands. "S-Sorry, I-I.."

Seokmin reassuringly pat his shoulder. "You're doing great, Soonie. Now, help me apply this salve all over him. Jun hyung, be ready to bandage behind us."

Jun nodded, already unraveling the bandage. "Seungcheol hyung, put a super generous amount of that aloe gel on two sheets of foil and GENTLY wrap it around his hands."

Seungcheol nodded, complying to the family nurse. "Mingyu, do the same to your hands. Someone help him." 

Jeonghan walked in the room and took the bottle of tincture from Jun. "This is the thick one with red coloring, right? Because we're out of arrowroot, beet root powder and corn starch."

The kitchen witch nodded, a now calm Minghao helping with the application of aloe vera on his burned hands. "That bottle is the reason we're out."

Jeonghan walked over to the bed. "Make room." Pouring the thick substance into a tiny bowl, he took a small paint brush and began to draw a sigil on the young ones chest. _'He will survive AND this will stop AND the flames will stop consuming him AND and whatever is causing this will stop AND he will have sweet dreams AND HE WILL STAY PROTECTED!'_ He took a step back to look at the completed sigil.

"So mote it be", he whispered before going back to the kitchen.

By then, the flames stopped and his skin began to return to its natural color. His veins and temperature returned to their norm, but his cries still echoed in the room.

Once he was fully bandaged, Jun gently held Chan's wrapped hand and sat on the other side of the floor as he entered a trance.

Seungcheol remained where he was, hand still gently holding Chan's other wrapped hand, staring at the floor while Jihoon held the older male's free hand. A soothing singing voice filled the room as the pink-haired teen's eyes never left their youngest.

Aurae carefully sat on the edge of the bed, gently combing her fingers through his hair, fingers damp with moon water. "Chan, you will be okay. This will end in no time, okay young one?" She leaned down and kissed his nose as tears ran down her face. "..The suffering will end soon, Channie." 

The sounds of pain stopped as minutes passed, though no one moved from their spots, minus a pacing Soonyoung.

An hour later, Jun and Chan both emitted loud gasps of air as they both regained consciousness. Everyone gave Chan space as he sat up, removing the foil to show shaking yet remarkably unaffected hands. 

Aurae dipped her fingers in the moon water and drew a circle on his forehead. "You're safe now, kid."

He blinked and was about to remove the bandages, but the hedge witch stood and stopped him. "You may be unharmed now, but your insides and spirit are still dangerously hot."

Jeonghan walked over from his spot by the door and held a cup of ice cold sage and linden leaf tea to the younger's lips. "Drink all of this then get some sleep. Everyone drink from the mugs on the kitchen table before going to bed. I'm just going to take an afternoon shift." Patting Chan's now cool cheek, he was the first to leave the room.

Chan placed the empty mug on his nightstand and laid down.

Soonyoung slowly walked over, taking his hand. "..Are you okay now, Dino?", he asked, voice barely a whisper.

He smiled softly, voice faint. "Yeah, hyung. Don't worry."

"...Are you sure?"

Chan turned to Seokmin, an expectant look on his face as a grin threatened to surface.

Seokmin took the cue and wrapped an arm around Soonyoung, chuckling softly. "He's sure. Now, let's get some actual sleep." And like that, they were the next ones out, Jihoon following behind after gently patting Chan on the head. "Come on, Minggu. I'll help you drink your tea."

The tall kitchen witch smiled softly at the youngest before exiting.

Hansol walked over and collected the crystals before patting his younger sibling's arm. "I knew you'd be smiling again soon. Now get some sleep. I'm not going easy on you with tomorrow's basketball game."

Chan chuckled weakly. "Good. I like watching you struggle before you finally lose five minutes later."

Hansol scoffed playfully, a smug look on his face before closing the window and getting into the bed on the other side of the room.

Jun picked up a sleeping Minghao from the floor before whispering to Aurae. "The three of us need to talk. I'll be at the table."

She nodded, not moving from her spot.

Chan rolled to his side, looking at the last two awake people in his room. "I'm okay, Mom and Dad. You two should go to bed."

They stayed where they were.

"Really, Seungcheol Hyung and Aurae Noona. I feel fine and barely remember the dream...I'm...okay.. " And like that, he was asleep, a serene smile on his face.

Aurae covered him with a fresh blanket and grabbed Seungcheol's hand. "Let's go talk to Jun."

Finally looking up, he wiped his face and nodded, standing to his feet as he quietly cleared his throat. "You okay?"

She chuckled silently, leading him out of the room. "I was just about to ask you the same thing, Cheol." She hugged him tightly once they reached the end of the hallway. "This has been quite a night."

Rubbing his hands up and down her back, he sighed into her hair. "That's an understatement and you know it." 

"Ugh, don't do that or I'll fall asleep right now."

A slightly nervous chuckle left his throat. "oh, hush noona. You know you like it."

A clearing of the throat was heard and both pulled away as Jun handed them their mugs of Linden Leaf tea.

"So, as you can see, he's gotten way worse. This time, Chan was drowning in lava. It's still a mystery as to why it's happening."

Seungcheol placed his empty mug in the sink. "This is the third time in a row that it's happened on a full moon."

Aurae's eyes widened. "That's very true. Full moons are when powers are at their strongest...so maybe we were wrong before and it's witch's doing?"

The eldest male pursed his lips in thought. "But Pilan and his socialite wife Vesta already confirmed that no witch is involved."

Jun slammed his mug down, his words laced with venom. "Those two are nothing but damn liars because I saw a figure with my own three eyes."

"What did they look like?"

"The figure had a feminine shape, two shadows, and they wore a burgundy cloak. It covered everything. And every time I moved closed, I was pushed back to the beginning of the journey by some uncontrollable force."

"We'll have to talk to Gao's uncle Adam...and maybe seek guidance from Koen, The Elder Witch."

"Good idea, noona."

Aurae patted Jun's shoulder. "Well, let's use the few hours we have left of the night and sleep. Goodnight."

She stood up first, lazily sauntering to her room.

The other followed shortly, going to their respective rooms.

As the sun rose, the kitchen table filled with young adults, Mingyu cooking a tasty yet nutritious breakfast with the help of a surprisingly awake Jihoon.

Seungcheol walked into the kitchen, buttoning up one of the many plaid shirts he owns. "Uh, Soonyoung, can I talk to you?"

The younger nodded, following him to the porch.

"I'm sorry for yelling."

Soonyoung shook his head, his usually cheerful smile slightly toned down. "It's okay... I know you mean well. Plus, I'm pretty sure you still don't forgive for almost killing him 10 years ago."

"That wasn't your fault. You may be a storm witch, but you don't command thunder. Plus, Chan moved away just in time."

"...Are you sure, S.Coups hyung?"

The older boy chuckled, ruffling the other's bleach blonde hair. "Yes, Hoshi. Now, let's try to stay quiet with all these nicknames. Noon--"

"So,  _you're_ Coups?"

He laughed nervously at the new presence. "..Ahaha...Noona, what a surprise to see you out here this morning."

"I live here?"

Soonyoung began to laugh loudly. "Noona! You may need to check your hearing! No one said Coups, whatever that is. I said, um, ICE CREAM SCOOPS! Oh my god, we're out! Come on hyung, let's go eat breakfast then buy some." And like that, they were gone.

Shaking her head, she sauntered to the table, yawning as a plate was placed in front of her. "Mingyu, I want you to rest those hands. I'll make dinner."

The tree of a man slumped against the counter. "Sweet, a break."

A hand stopped her from picking up her spoon. She looked up to see the soon-to-be newlyweds smiling at her. "What can I do for my favorite dorky duo?"

Seokmin urged Soonyoung to go on. "Well, Aurae noona...we just want to let you know...."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blue Lace Agate: a crystal that brings peace of mind with its soft, cooling and calming energy.
> 
> Moonstone: a crystal that calms overreactions to situations and emotional triggers.
> 
> "so mote it be": a witchy phrase that pretty much means "And so, it is done". It's used at the end of spells and chants to emphasize it.
> 
> Sigil: In case you forgot, it's a symbol drawn with a clear intent behind it(mentioned in chapter one, Jeonghan's witch identity).
> 
> Rosie: In case you forgot, that's the name of their house. It has rose vines wrapped around it(mentioned in chapter one).
> 
> HoneyKettle: In case you forgot, that's the name of the orphanage they ran away from(mentioned in chapter one).
> 
> Lavender incense: burned to attract love-especially of a man. Also burned for cleansing, healing, happiness and relaxation.
> 
> Rose Incense: burned to increase courage, induce prophetic dreams, house blessing, fertility, healing and attract love.
> 
> Aloe Vera: can relieve the pain of abrasions, wounds, and everyday burns. Great for the skin!
> 
> Salve: an oil-based paste with typically soothing properties.
> 
> Tincture: a medicine made by soaking herbs in alcohol(usually drinking alcohol).
> 
> Arrowroot and Corn Starch: Thickening agents.
> 
> Linden Leaf: Also known as Tilo, this plant can make you calm and/or sleepy. I always find myself snoring when my mom puts even just one leaf.
> 
> Beet Root Powder: used to make things red.


	4. Third Chapter

SENTENCES FULLY IN ITALICS ARE THINGS SAID IN THE PAST! 

EX: _"This chapter should be done in a few days",_ the author had said almost three weeks ago.

Translate the hangul and you'll have yourself a laugh.

HAPPY READING!

\------------------

"We plan on still living here after the wedding!", Seokmin blurted out, who released a sheepish guffaw in response to his fiancé's frown. "Sorry, babe."

Aurae waved them off. "Pfft, you guys don't have to do that. You should get a quaint little house of your own... Your own cuddle space."

"Plus, we'll need all the space we can get once Noona and Hyung eventually decide to get together. I can already see the huge flock of annoying children running around the house, ruining my precious beauty sleep", interjected Jeonghan, who's expression turned smug once he heard the sounds of Seungcheol and Jihoon choking on their respective drinks. That expression changed to one of annoyance when a huge gust of wind came through the kitchen window and blew his long caramel hair in his face.

Aurae tried to hide her laughter as she consoled the two choking victims, wiping the table with her napkin. "Honestly, I--"

"No." Soonyoung took the opportunity to interrupt after sharing a knowing look with the oldest male, who was still attempting to breathe properly. "We really want to stay. We love our family too much to leave. And we're not just that, but a coven too. Adam's coven still lives together and they've gotten so many new additions, it's practically a village. It just wouldn't feel right to NOT be surrounded by our family."

Aurae smiled warmly, but not before she noticed the way Junhui looked down sadly. "Alright, you make a great case. Though, I give you a week before you two start wishing for more space. We can start building a cottage riiiight now if you'd like, unless you're the caravan type. I know a few Travelers that know where to get them cheap. And also... just keep in mind that no one is forcing  _anyone_  to go or stay... and that goes for  _all of you_... except the younger boys. You can go ONLY if you're leaving with someone super trustworthy. Well, except Chan. You can't leave this household until we permanately find the solution to your um, heat dreams."

Chan made a face before slurping the remaining drop of his juice. "Noona, that sounds like something dirty. Can we please find another name?"

"Hot Thoughts?"

"Inferno no-no?"

"Hell Spell!"

"불타오르네."

"Blaze Daze."

"KwonFire!"

"Flame Game."

"Warm Storm."

"Fire Aspire."

"Combustion Commotion!"

"Remember the Embers~"

"Ooh, Flare Scare."

"...The Burning Rain of Death."

Everyone turned to Minghao, who calmly looked back at them as he chewed on his toast.

"#Savage!", shouted the second youngest as he grabbed his coat and lunchbag when the honking of a horn was heard. "I'll be back before sundown!"

"Tell Gao I said hi!"

The one dubbed Savage tapped Chan on the shoulder. "We should go, too. I heard there's an assembly after homeroom." The teens glanced at the three drivers of the house.

"I only have space for Noona, Jeonghan, and just _one_ extra, so I'm out", argued Seungcheol.

Jun and Seokmin looked at each other before engaging in an intense match of rock paper scissors.

"Damn", groaned Seokmin.

"Yes! Come on, Hamster. We can get to Lucky Mint right before it opens! ", proclaimed the victorious winner as he grabbed Soonyoung's coat from the rack while the newlyweds-to-be shared a chaste goodbye kiss.

"It feels like slightly heavy rain later this morning, so keep an umbrella with you when you do any yard work. I don't need my cuddle buddy getting sick." The blonde waved to everyone left before running after a hyper Jun.

Seokmin hummed softly to himself as he searched his pockets for his car keys. "Wait for me by the van, maknaes. I just need to find my wallet."

The young teens obeyed, but not before hugging a dramatically pouting Aurae. "Pay attention to your classes or you'll end up like Mingyu!"

"Ouch, Noona!"

She chuckled sheepishly, poking his side repeatedly, knowing how ticklish he was. "It's not like I told you to dropout, Tree."

"Hahahaha, stop!"

Jeonghan tickled his other side. "He settled to just being a housewife."

"Hahahahahaha, did not!"

"Timber!"

They both stopped once he looked like he was going to piss himself, panting on the ground. "You guys didn't even enroll. Plus, Jihoonie hyung taught me more than the school ever did."

Jeonghan smirked behind his mug of tea. "But who taught you how to french kiss?"

The tipped-over Tree's cheeks blossomed into intensely red flowers. "HYUUUUUNNNNNGGGGGGGG, WHY WOULD BRING UP THAT MONTH-LONG RELATIONSHIP WE HAD?! IT WAS SO CRINGE-WORTHY!"

Seokmin zoomed past them in midst of all the chaos, closing the door behind him.

"Oh, hush. We were the most attractive couple in town. Remember all the girls following us around and fawning?"

"Of course, I remember. That was how I got my next girlfriend. She was the one who always got nosebleeds when you and I kissed in public. God, we were so hormonal back then."

"Oh yeah, she was pretty."

Seungcheol held his hand up. "ANYWAY... Pinky, you look really nice today. What's the occasion? New Video?"

"Actually, I was hoping to finally put together my piece about Sea Beads and highlight a certain Madame we know." He turned to Aurae. "Is it fine if I tag along today?"

She waved him off. "You don't even need to ask. Lady Lumi adores you and you know Griselda loves when you come over. You're the only one that pampers her like a spoiled brat."

And with that, Seungcheol went to get his keys and lunchbag.

Mingyu pouted, nudging Jihoon's leg with his head. "But, who's gonna keep me company?"

He patted his head, a fond smile on his face. "Look at it this way, Minggu. You can watch all the cartoons you want. Plus, Seokmin will be back sooner or later and you can keep him company if you get bored."

"But, my hands..."

"Just don't eat, drink, think... or leave the sofa all day. I'll be back later with Noona. You can bother me then."

"But--"

Jeonghan stuffed a piece of toast in the boy's mouth, standing to help Aurae clear the table. "Ugh, you're such a Pup. You can handle not using your hands for one whole day."

Seungcheol walked outside to start the engine of his rusty pickup truck, clearing the back seats of burger wrappers and long-forgotten bottles of water. "Guess my favorite time of the day will be put on hold...I'll have her all to myself again tomorrow."

The passenger seat opened to reveal a certain pink-haired individual, carrying a bulky messenger bag. "You look like shit today, Cheol. Did you even go back to bed this morning?"

He laughed, putting an arm around the younger. "Aw, Pinky's worried about me. How cute~."

"Pffft, n-not even!" He prayed that his cheeks remained non-rosy.

The older began to ruffle his hair. "Admit it, you care about meeee. You love meeeee."

"........ Maybe."

Seungcheol grinned triumphantly, kissing all over his face, minus the one spot Jihoon always wished he would at least graze.

"EW! DOG DROOL!", he managed to shout, despite his overactive heart beating thousands of beats per minute.

Aurae entered the car next, adjusting all the gaudy gold accessories she had to wear to look 'authentic'. "Aw, lay off of him. He's probably gonna get enough of that when we enter  _Sea Beads, The Spiritstore_."

"Do you always have to say it like a commercial announcer?"

"DUH?! Where's the fun if you don't?"

Jeonghan entered, sliding next to her. "I would hate to be the person that gets in a fight with you and those arms full of bangles."

"They'd have the chance to run up...but all they're going to do is catch...  _these hands_."

"Dear god, she's been hanging out with Memesol and Minghao too much. Drive before she starts doing that stupid running man challenge thingy like the rest of you!"

Seungcheol scoffed, placing his hand on the gear stick. "You're just mad because we asked you to join us, you refused, and it instantly became one of Woozi's most viewed videos."

And like that, they were on their way to town.

Amaris Creek was a pretty old town with a primarily Asian population, due to fleeing from historical events such as The Gold Rush and the USA's imprisonment of Japanese immigrants, and the migration of Korean laborers from Hawai'i in the early 1900s. It was also a town full of mystery and the location for many famous legends, yet surprisingly, there weren't that many tourists. Contrary to the town's name, there wasn't even evidence of a creek in its vicinity, minus the small one hidden in the foggy forest, by their home. And many of its oldest remaining townsfolk spoke Latin, along with their respective languages; the town motto being 'Crede populus elementa, ex rubro odio plenus societas timeo'. No one younger than 70 even bothered to translate it.

Seungcheol stopped in front of The Nicer Diner first, the three young adults in the car yelling words of encouragement from open windows as an embarrassed Jeonghan entered his place of employment.

Four blocks West later, he parked in front of the hardware store.

Jihoon scoffed. "You don't even drop her off first? What a gentleman."

"...I literally work two stores down, across the street. I told him to do it this way. He causes too much traffic with his horrendous three-point turning."

"Gasp", a 'highly offended' Seungcheol said as he opened the door for the offender, making sure her long and ruffly skirt didn't get caught onto anything.

Jihoon rolled his eyes while he pretty much had to jump out the passenger side. "Just gasp. Don't just say the action."

".... Gasp."

"... Really?"

Aurae laughed at their antics. "Chill, Jihoonie. At least we get to sit around all day while Mr.Flannel there has to lift heavy boxes and tools."

"You know you both love the results!"

"Bye Cheollie! Come on, Pinky." Grabbing his hand, the two Air witches quickly crossed the street and walked down the path, Aurae greeting a plethora of shop owners.

A young girl stopped Jihoon. "Hi, Woozi. It's been a while since you've come to this side of town. Love the blog."

He smiled shyly. "Thank you, Katie. I'll make sure to mention your bakery on my next post after this one on Sea Beads."

Aurae nudged his shoulder as they entered said shop. "She seems nice. I sense a potential girlfriend~"

He chuckled. "She ships me with Cheol ever since I posted that video where we watch all those jumpscares together. Her signature is 'JiCheol FTW'."

"Ah... Now that I think about it, I think she has a boyfriend anyway."

"Welcome back, Jihoon dear!" bellowed an older woman with a thick Romanian accent. "Aurae, go find him extra chair."

The girl complied, placing it in the corner of her small area.

"Glad to be back, Lady Lumi. Your store always draws me back in."

"You are very lucky. I brought fresh  _Fursecuri cu Ciocolatta_ today."

"Yum, my favorite!" A huge ball of fur grazed against his leg. "Ah, Griselda, the best kitty in the world~."

"I will bring them out soon. Sit, sit. You both look so tired."

Jihoon picked up the cat and sat her on his lap. "I could barely sleep."

Aurae sat down by her table, re-arranging the everyday objects she used. "Let's just say the full moon, um,  _dance_  went a little longer than usual."

The store owner chuckled softly as she shined the girl's crystal ball with the patchy fabric of her own ruffly skirt. "I do not understand why you kids like to dance under the moon. The witch stuff is frowned upon on your part of town, yes?"

Jihoon laughed nervously. "..It's not witch stuff. W-We just had--"

"Stop. We just have to tell her." Jihoon watched her solemn expression with wide eyes. Aurae was the main one to warn them about sharing such information. He had once seen her slap Jeonghan a few years ago, who wanted to use his abilities for revenge on a regular(at the time) customer that called him a girl and left no tip each time.

"But--"

"...Jihoonie and I... have started going on midnight hikes to find Big Foot or any other oddities. We still haven't found anything yet."

Lady Lumi's hefty laughter filled the tiny store. "You two are lying. You are going for romantic stroll instead. It's why he's dressed so nicely today, no? Funny, I always thought it would be that cute boy Junie Jun or handsome boy that works at Trusty...or Mango."

Jihoon didn't even attempt to hold back his laughter.

The 'fortuneteller' made sure not to hit herself with her own chunky jeweler as she facepalmed. "We are not dating, Lumi. We really did go walking. And with the others from the.. neighborhood, too. Show her the prank footage."

The boy reached for his phone and began to explain the set-up, carrying Griselda under one arm as he walked over. "So,  _Mango_  told me a story yesterday and it was..."

Aurae drowned out the conversation and took her time to shuffle her tarot deck before her first appointment or walk-in. As much as she didn't care for Tarot, most customers just didn't believe it was possible to tell fortunes with the same cards used to play Poker and Go Fish. 

She offered Tarot readings, palm readings, and even crystal ball readings if anyone asked. Though, she didn't really need to use most items of divination, or 'props' as she called it. 

With witchcraft and other 'non-traditional' practices taboo in Amaris Creek for some reason, most establishments like Sea Beads were just herbal apothecaries and novelty entertainment. When she got the job at 14, she assumed she'd find more witches and actual psychics to befriend.

_"Just look at crystal ball and say something generic. Be good at lying and you have steady job"_ , Lady Lumi, or Luminita Dalcos, had told her the day she was hired.

Knowing she'd get bored of just staring through a glass ball, she decided to speak with the women in Adam's coven. A divination/fertility witch named Lucia had previously taught her the art of Cartomancy as a child, so she went back to her for advice first.

" _I will teach you the many ways of divination. You can use them yet trick the foolish townspeople into thinking they are just watching a show while things actually come true. You know, like make mistakes or pull out a book to 'reassure' yourself. It should be easy. There may be some of us who can see farther into the eyes of Mother Fate, but literally anyone can do this."_ She had taken Aurae's mug out of her hand and analyzed the leaves.  _"Even your tea says you won't get caught... Oh, what's this?... Seun--... Uh, you know what? Nevermind. Some things of the future are best left to be discovered than expected."_

A month later, she was capable of several methods of divination and even brought in her own coven to help over the years. Jeonghan had a two year position as a tea leaves reader and Hansol ordered his stones and crystals through the store. Jun still came in once every three months to decipher dreams while Seokmin and Mingyu marketed some of their tinctures, oils, incense, salves, and Aurae's candles in the store whenever FarMar had it's dry season. The others simply joined as part of her act as a phony fortuneteller. They would make big gestures behind the customer, mouth words after reading from a random book, and act as if they were analyzing the customer even though Aurae already knew her answer minutes before. 

Currently, she had twenty regular customers a week and about ten tourists a month. And every October, she worked super late nights, often holding seances with Jun and Yoongi from a friend of Adam's coven as her portals into the spirit world. So far, no one had called her a witch or questioned her knowledge. They mostly searched around the room for cameras, projectors, and tape recorders. 

Aurae had a few entertaining and high-paying regulars. They obviously knew she wasn't just doing parlor tricks. One of those customers was a young lawyer who was known to sleep around; always getting her palms checked to see if the current man was Mr.Right. Another one was a constant worrier who even managed to find Aurae's cell phone number one year; constantly getting a 21-card Tarot spread each week to make sure she wasn't going to die the next. She had no idea what that middle-aged woman was doing career-wise, but she did tip super generously. Her third favorite customer was a spoiled rich teenager, who lived one of the hills near the edge of town. She was a fan of Korean pop and constantly wanted card readings involving her and the boy band member she was obsessed with. Aurae wouldn't be surprised if the girl decided to one day bring said boy band member over to the shop for a final reading.

She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see a big camera, her hand clutching her heart. "Whoa, Ji--.. Woozi, you scared me!"

He laughed sheepishly. "Sorry, Noona. You know how I like candid things."

Chuckling, she smiled into the camera brightly. "It's fine. So, what do you need to know about me?"

"The Mysterious Madame Mist... How... do you feel being one of Woozi's best friends?"

Incredulous laugh erupted from her before she turned dead serious. "It's the best thing since sliced bread." Her expression turned into a dramatic pout. "Yet, I do feel less special now, just finding out that I'm not his number one best friend... He's mine."

Stammering was heard from the other side of the camera. "W-What? You are my number one best friend, Noona. I love you."

"Big whoop, want a cookie?", she deadpanned.

"... I do, actually."

She stood and walked over to Luminita, Jihoon following behind. "Lady Lumi, the short cameraman wants some of your delicious cookies."

"You want  _Fursecuri_? I bring them now."

"Thank you, Lady Lumi~", he said in a surprisingly sweet tone. "See, you are my number one. Most don't survive after calling me short. You know this."

"I still don't think that bruise on Mingyu's back has healed yet." A plate of chocolate thumbprint cookies was placed in front of them, Aurae picking two up. "Thank you~ Woozi-zi, say ahhhh~"

He obeyed, soon chewing into the chocolate-y goodness. "Mmmmmm~"

"All this cutesy stuff, I still think you are dating."

"We are NOT dating!", both witches 'politely' pointed out.

That caused more hefty laughter to fill the store. "Sure, Sure. Not my business." With that, the woman went off to help a customer that managed to enter the store without their knowledge.

"Okay, time for more interview questions. Madame Mist, tell me how you even got interested in such a profession."

"Well, it all started when--"

The chime on the door sounded loudly as one of her regular customers ran in; the rich teen. "Okay, I skipped class and rushed here as fast as my chauffeur could go. He replied back to me on twitter! I need you to do your card thingy to tell me if he'll remember me if I post a picture from that big concert last summe-- oh hey, what's Woozi doing here?" She gasped. "Did Woozi bring him here so we can reunite on film?"

Jihoon looked at Aurae with a face of pure disbelief as she nodded silently in response. "Angie, he's a close friend and just came to do a video about this place. But he's done for the day now and is planning to finish his important, um, piece about Trusty's Hardware Store across the street." A wink was added in his direction, hoping he understood.

Nodding, he began to pack his stuff. "Thanks, Mist. We'll do lunch  _really_  soon, okay? I know the best place for chocolate cookies by a sweet Romanian woman."

She chuckled, already re-shuffling the deck. "You got it."

In a bookstore on the other side of town, Hansol watched as his favorite customer entered the store and strutted straight to the aisle titled 'Music/Music Theory' as if it were a catwalk. A dumb lovestruck smile was instantly brought to his face. 

Hansol had always loved the sun. He'd lay out in the grass field by the orphanage most days and laugh quietly to himself when the other kids marveled at how such a pale kid didn't tan or burn at all. Jeonghan used to have to drag him inside so he wouldn't get heatstroke. And he still woke up with the sun 'til this very day, annoying his roommate who had an hour or two left to sleep.

His love for that sassy customer surpassed that huge star in the galaxy. His name was Seungkwan Boo; a student at Chan and Minghao's high school. He remembered the first time he saw him like it was yesterday. It was one night at Junhui's job at the mall, Copious Caffeine Cafe, or 3C, during their Fun Fridays three years ago. Seungkwan had walked on stage with a friend who took her position at the piano. He thought there was nothing spectacular about the young teen, so he turned back to the counter to speak with his sibling, but everything changed when that beautiful voice filled his ears. He was mesmerized by him, as if it was just the two of them in that cafe. He studied his features; plump cheeks he would caress until they were stained with a shy pink, heart-shaped lips that could tell him to jump off a cliff and he'd do it in a heartbeat, adorable moles on his cheek and above his lips, and two soulful eyes that he could stare into all day if blinking was optional. Hansol didn't even need to question what was happening to him. At the age of 15, he knew he was in love.

After that, he tried to attend every Fun Friday, missing his performances each time. He made Jun swear he wouldn't tell Seungkwan he was looking for him. He wasn't ready to actually face him.

It wasn't until last year that he finally saw him again. Gao had started selling sheet music for some reason and one boring Thursday afternoon in the spring, he walked in. The sun surrounded him as he stood by the door, making him look purely angelic. Hansol didn't even notice when the angel was already standing in front of him.

" _Hello..um.._ ", he had read his nametag, " _Hansol, right_? _I heard this place has sheet music now. Where is it located?"_

There was no response.

" _Hello? ... Helloooo...?_ " Seungkwan then began to wave his hands in his face. " _Yah, pay attention to me! Hansol!... HANSOL!_ "

The boy mentioned blinked. _"Oh, u-uh, what?"_

_"Sheet music. Where?"_ Seungkwan rolled his eyes, fixing his hair. _"What an idiot"_ , he muttered in Korean.

_"... The sheet music is in aisle one, also known as the one right next to you. Our owner also does special orders if you don't find what you want",_ he had replied back in perfect Korean, a sly grin on his face.

He'd never forget the cute surprised look on Seungkwan's face before he huffed and walked to his destination, seven feet away from the desk.

Their encounters became weekly; same day, same time. And each time, Hansol got bolder and Seungkwan got sassier. 

"So, how come I still haven't found you at school? I've seen your two dancer friends and that weird tall guy that's always in the library, but not you." He placed three thin books on the counter and looked for his wallet. "I'm pretty sure a Leonardo Dicaprio look-a-like would be pretty known around our campus."

"Aw. You trying to stalk me now, Boo?"

The singer didn't look impressed, practically slamming the money on the counter. "Don't even start with me, Hanstupid."

Hansol chuckled. "Okay, Okay. There's only one reason why you can't find me."

He gasped dramatically. "You're secretly an old vampire and graduated in 1917?"

With a playful roll of the eyes, he gave Seungkwan his receipt and began to bag the items. "No... I've never attended school. Chose not to be enrolled when I was a kid and my, um, parents were fine with it as long as I worked here at Purified Summer Bookstore."

The other took the bag handed to him and put it in his backpack. "Whoa, looks like we've got a rebel. Well, see you again next week."

"Nah, I'm pretty sure I'll see you in my dreams first thing tonight."

Seungkwan threw him a look of pure disgust. "Ew, You are so lucky this is the only place in town that sells sheet music!" And like that, he was gone again for another six days.

"Ah, so _you're_ the next one to propose in our family."

Hansol jumped, sighing in relief to see that it was only Seokmin. "Hyung, what are you even doing here?"

He shrugged. "I always check the Home and Gardening section. But don't change the subject~ Is that the kid Jun told me you were in love with? He's cute. I approve."

"He what?"

Before Seokmin could say it again, a hand patted Hansol's shoulder. "Is Hansol here giving you trouble? I can make him walk home."

He gave the younger one a mischievous grin before it blossomed into his usual full sized, cancer-curing smiles. "No, Gao noona. I'm just giving him a hard time."

"Oh, congratulations by the way! I'm so happy for you and Soonyoung."

His smile went shy. "Thank you, Noona."

"As for you, Hansol... it's been over a year. Make a move on that diva kid soon, or he'll get bored. I see the way you look at each other in the ten minutes that he's ever here. Just go for it! Ugh, the suspense is killing me."

Seokmin ruffled Hansol's hair before he could say anything. "Actually, he's been a lovesick puppy for three years now."

Hansol groaned, planting his face on the counter.

The store owner smoothed his hair. "Okay, Okay. We'll lay off. Seokmin, let me know if you need numbers for good wedding planners. I think Byunghun still has the binder with all the information. You'll definitely want the number for the bakery who made our cake. You remember how tasty it was."

He nodded, rubbing his tummy as if he were pregnant. "Great, now I'm craving cake."

As if coincidence, cake was being mentioned in a place right across town by another family member. "Thank you so much for the cake, Mrs. Spell. Everyone thought it was delicious as always."

"Oh, Jeonghan sweetie, you know how I love feeding you and your family. How is everyone by the way?"

"We're all doing great. Actually, Seokmin proposed to Soonyoung last night."

"Oh my goodness, that is so great to hear! I was rooting for those two to finally tie the knot. They are absolutely adorable together." She sipped from her coffee. "You kids are growing up so fast. Soon, Chan and Minghao will be high school graduates. Well, I'm off to the salon. You're due for a trim soon."

Jeonghan smiled sheepishly. "I'll try to remember."

He was happy to have such a caring woman like Mrs.Spell as a customer. She was the ex-social worker/current salon owner that helped them fill out paperwork for things like employment and enrollment. In exchange, Mingyu and Seokmin gave her creams and oils for her carpal tunnel, while Seungcheol welded her copper bracelets every year for the same issue. She also had no problem with the fact that they were witches; one of her family members was a survivor of the Salem Witch Trials of the late 1600s. 

Mrs. Spell was the one to introduce Jeonghan to The Nicer Diner. He had been busting tables for four years now. It was a quaint place, but it got really busy during autumn nights for some reason. The owner was a very nice man who only went by Mr.Hong. His co-workers were nice and treated him well. Except for one person; Mr.Hong's son, Joshua.

Joshua came to the diner a year ago, after deciding to live with his dad. As soon as the two met, they instantly didn't click well. Joshua was given the job as manager a month later, meaning Jeonghan was stuck with him. There wasn't a day that went by without Jeonghan secretly giving him the stink eye. Using magick wasn't an option either because, well, he never wanted to see Aurae mad at him again and they were both hurt after such a dumb moment.

"Mr. Yoon, the customer at table 3 is complaining of cold coffee."

Jeonghan rolled his eyes before narrowing them, face centimeters away from his when he turned. "Table 3 is empty. As are the other tables at the moment.  Do you just like causing me trouble, _Jisoo_?"

Joshua didn't back down, looking him straight in the eyes as he whispered. "Maybe. ...Just give me a reason to fire you, _Jeonghan-ah_."

"I'm older than you."

"I don't care."

Jeonghan broke their eye contact to check his watch. "So glad we could have this talk, but it's time for my lunch."

"You know, you can't keep coming to work at a later time like today."

He scoffed, removing his suspenders and putting on a jacket. "I don't see why not. I had a family emergency and didn't get to sleep until 5am, Gloria owed me for taking over her shift for her birthday last month, and your dad was fine with it. Any other concern you have with me, please write it down and we'll have a professional discussion about it with our boss supervising. Now, with that being said, I'll be back in thirty minutes."

"Where are you going?"

"To get a free haircut and complain about you with the stylist."

Hours later, Aurae and Jihoon walked out of Sea Beads. 

"Well, today was fun. Let's go to the grocery store and buy ingredients for dinner."

"Sounds lik--"

"Aurae! Jihoon!" The two Air witches turned in the direction of the shouting to see Seungcheol running over.

"Hey, Cheollie. What's U--?"

"Chan got hurt." He grabbed both their hands and they ran over to the car, worry etched on their faces.

When they arrived at the hospital, they ran to the desk. "We're looking for Chan Lee."

"And just who are you to Mr. Lee?", A man to the left of them asked, pushing his spectacles up.

"Who are you to ask?"

"I am his school principal, Mr.Willows. His homeroom teacher had an urgent matter."

Seungcheol wiped his hands on his jeans and held one out to shake the man's hand. "Nice to finally meet you. I'm Seungcheol Choi, his dad. She's his mother, Aurae... Lee and that's his brother Jihoon." The two eldest members thought it was wise to adopt all the boys under 16 when they were both 18 to make matters like this easier. They made Jeonghan a legal guardian just in case anything tragic happened. Though, most of the paperwork was fake for the whole ordeal. It was just real enough for the city to do the things they needed.

The older man raised a brow, sanitizing his hands after the encounter. "You two look awfully young for parents. How old are you two if you don't mind me asking?"

Aurae gritted her teeth. "Enough of the pleasantries, Principal Willows. Now, where is my son?"

He stammered, feeling like a worm in front of an over-accessorized mama bird, clearing his throat soon after. "Ah, y-yes, he is in room 230 with Mr. Xu. I'll be going now, if you don't mind."

Seungcheol bit his lip, trying to hide his amusement. "Not at all. Have a great evening, Principal Willows."

After filling out paperwork, they entered the elevator.

"Wow, Noona. You almost made that old man cry for his mommy."

She chuckled, playfully punching Jihoon's shoulder. "He was too quirky for my liking and didn't even say anything about Chan's well-being."

The three young adults' expressions changed to one of fear. They already saw his face full of anguish once today. But when they reached the room, they were surprised to see a smiling Chan getting the cast on his arm signed by Minghao.

"Noona~ Hyungs~ Sign my arm! No penises, please."

"Chan, what happened?"

Minghao snorted. "He broke his arm trying to impress a girl."

"Not just any girl, hyung! Maria Tineo." The adoration in his voice made Seungcheol chuckle.

"How?"

Minghao motioned for them to sit, knowing the doctor will be a minute. "I'll tell the story since he's hopped up on painkillers after they had to crack his bones the right way. So, it was our free period in the theatre room and somehow we ended up having a dance-off out of boredom. Somewhere in the middle, that girl joined the crowd. I guess she was impressed by my awesome breakdancing, because next thing I know, Chan's gone from Michael Jackson to self-made b-boy. He transitioned from rocking to floorwork too fast and then we all heard a large crack."

"But Maria was impressed!"

The water witch rolled his eyes. "Keep telling yourself that, maknae."

After a quick talk with the doctor, they were on their way home.

Aurae sighed from the passenger seat as she removed all her jewelery. "You need to be more careful next time, kid."

Seungcheol nodded, changing the radio station. "You're not exactly made of steel and you were on fire not even a day ago."

"... It was worth it."

"How?"

"She gave me her number and now I have a date next Friday."

Everyone cheered in an extra loud fashion with the windows open to make him embarrassed. "LEE CHAN! LEE CHAN! LEE CHAN!"

**Author's Note:**

> Here we goooo...


End file.
